Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Bills would force landlords to accept Section 8 Tenants
By Selected News Articles @ 3:36 PM :: 2860 Views :: Homelessness, Small Business

Organization calls on Hawaii Legislature to address housing discrimination

by Merrilee Gasser, The Center Square, Feb 8, 2022 

(The Center Square) – The Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness (HICH) is calling on the Legislature to make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants who receive rental assistance.

The group released a brief that cites legislation under consideration by the Hawaii Legislature.

Senate Bill 206 recently passed the Senate and is now in the House. The bill would prohibit discrimination against potential tenants because they have a section 8 voucher. A similar bill was passed recently by the Senate Consumer Protection Committee.

Additionally, Senate Bill 2468 gives counties the authority to prohibit rental discrimination. The Senate Housing and Government Operations Committee unanimously recommended approval of the bill. 

The HICH said in its brief that jurisdictions such as the District of Columbia have seen higher frequencies of vouchers being used after prohibiting landlords from discriminating against potential tenants for using them.

“We think it’s time to eliminate the stigma that often comes with using a housing subsidy, and this is the key first step in achieving that,” said Bob Wardlaw, the advocacy committee chair for Partners in Care, O‘ahu’s Continuum of Care. “Ultimately, there is no difference in whether rent comes from someone’s pocket or from a subsidy. We all deserve the dignity of affordable, decent housing.”

Advocates said increased purchases by out-of-state investors have contributed to unaffordable housing costs for many locals who must resort to vouchers in order to afford housing.

“Discrimination has reached a boiling point, leaving people who are employed and ready to move into housing with no option but to stay in a homeless shelter or on the street, praying they find a home before their voucher expires,” said Brandee Menino, HICH member and advocacy committee chair of Bridging the Gap.

Menino said they have worked with landlords who keep coming back because of positive experiences with Section 8 tenants.

“I think if more landlords gave these folks a chance, many would feel the same way,” Menino said.

In its policy brief, the HICH said Hawaii consistently has ranked at the top of the most-unaffordable states in the country because of high housing costs. In 2018, 42% of the population was living in poverty or fell into the Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed population, the brief said.

“Hawaii would benefit from joining other states and localities in legally protecting households against discrimination based on their rental assistance,” the authors of the brief said. “This would give people more equitable footing in accessing rental housing.”

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii